1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the use of the amino acid glutamine in combination with additional micronutrients in a composition for treating stress responses associated with severe trauma, bums, injury, infection and for promoting wound healing.
2. Discussion of the Background of the Invention
Major injury, burns, trauma, infection, or any critical illness, characteristically lead to profound metabolic abnormalities, lean mass catabolism, ongoing oxidant induced tissue damage, immune deficiency states and impaired wound healing. The metabolic abnormalities lead to increased cell energy demands and inefficient nutrient utilization. Tissue damage is observed as progressive lipid peroxidation. An immune deficiency state can lead to increased infections. The addition of micronutrients to a patient""s therapeutic regime enhances recovery from severe stree induced responses caused by injury, burns, or sepsis. Micronutrients are essential for cellular function and the addition of such to a patient with metabolic derangement and ongoing catabolism will enhance recovery.
The present invention comprises a micronutrient composition in unit dosage form comprising L-glutamine, L-arginine, N-acetyl-cysteine, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, magnesium, zinc, selenium and copper.
In a preferred embodiment, the unit dosage form comprises about 140 mg of L-arginine per 10 g glutamine, about 600 mg of N-acetyl-cysteine per 10 g glutamine, about 5,000 IU of vitamin A per 10 g glutamine, about 500 mg of vitamin C per 10 g glutamine, about 200 IU of vitamin E per 10 g glutamine, about 6 mg of thiamin per 10 g glutamine, about 6.8 mg of riboflavin per 10 g glutamine, about 80 mg of niacin per 10 g glutamine, about 8 mg of vitamin B6 per 10 g glutamine, about 400 xcexcg of folate per 10 g glutamine, about 50 xcexcg of vitamin B12 per 10 g glutamine, about 40 mg of pantothenic acid per 10 g glutamine, about 200 mg of magnesium per 10 g glutarnine, about 20 mg of zinc per 10 g glutamine, about 100 xcexcg of selenium per 10 g glutamine, and about 0.75 mg of copper per 10 g glutamine.
The present invention also relates to a method of treating a stress response associated with severe trauma, bums, injury or infection which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof at least one unit dosage of a micronutrient composition according to the present invention in a 24 hours period.
In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of treating stress induced catabolic disorders associated with severe trauma, bums, injury or infection which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof at least one unit dosage of a micronutrient composition according to the present invention in a 24 hours period.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of treating an immune deficiency associated with severe trauma, bums, injury or infection which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof at least one unit dosage of a micronutrient composition according to the present invention in a 24 hours period.
A further embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of treating a stress induced oxidant injury associated with severe trauma, bums, injury or infection which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof at least one unit dosage of a micronutrient composition according to the present invention in a 24 hours period.
Yet another embodiment includes a method of promoting wound healing which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof at least one unit dosage of a micronutrient composition according to the present invention in a 24 hours period.
In a preferred embodiment, at least two unit dosage forms of the inventive composition are administered to a patient in need thereof in a 24 hours period.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, at least three unit dosage forms of the inventive composition are administered to a patient in need thereof in a 24 hours period.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.